Day 4 was dedicated to visiting key landmarks in Paris, the city of lights. Here are some of the highlights of our guided tour with Anna:
- The Grand Palais: We started our visit at the Grand Palais. It has a very large glass-domed roof – the largest existing ironwork and glass structure in the world, we were told. It was built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900 in Paris. For nearly three decades, the Palais served as an exhibition hall for many inventions of 20th century. The Palais served as a military hospital during WWI and as a truck depot and for Nazi propaganda exhibitions during WWII. Today, it is dedicated to world famous art exhibitions.
- Pont Alexandre III: Also built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900 in Paris, the bridge was a great opportunity to take photos of us in Paris.
- The Invalides: From across La Seine, we were able to spot the golden dome of the Invalides. The Invalides served as a hospital and retirement home for war veterans. It is also where Napoleon Bonaparte was buried. Many decades after it was first built, the dome was restored with over 10 kilos of gold!
- The Seine: Anna also took us on a walk along the banks of the Seine to take the Bateau bus – the boat bus. A great way to visit Paris.
- Notre Dame: We stopped at Notre Dame on the Ile de la Cite. Notre Dame is one of the largest cathedrals in the world. It is also one of the world’s most well-known buildings made popular by The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Victor Hugo began writing the book to make his contemporaries more aware of Gothic architecture, which was neglected or destroyed at the time. We also stopped for a Bertillon ice cream – the best ice cream in Paris, we were told.
- Eiffel tower: We finish our tour with a long boat ride to the iconic Eiffel tower where we took many selfies!
Overall, an amazing afternoon in Paris despite the heat (over 30 degrees Celsius).
Marcos, Tabitha, Dana, Mohamed Ali, Nouf